Stucco Application Over Brick

A construction worker applying stucco on a wall.

If the brickwork on your house is in poor shape or not looking good, stucco can brighten it up. As an exterior finish, it’s cheap and looks good. Stucco application is quite simple, and over brick, it doesn’t take too long. It’s important, however, to follow all the steps for a successful stucco application.

Cleaning

Start the process by cleaning the brick wall prior to the stucco application. For this, you should either use a pressure washer or scrub the brick. Make sure you give a thorough cleaning in order to remove the dirt and any crumbling mortar. This will leave it ready for the bonding agent and ensure it’s going onto a fully clean surface for the best adhesion. Allow the brickwork to dry before moving on.

Bonding Agent

You can’t put the stucco directly on to the brickwork. There needs to be something between it and the bricks to hold it in firmly. For this, you’ll have to use a concrete bonding agent. Put it on the surface with a paintbrush but be careful to ensure you cover the entire brick wall to guarantee good adhesion for the stucco application. There’s no need to put on a very thick coat; all you’re doing with it is putting on a surface, not an entire layer of material. Give it an hour to dry fully.

Scratch Coat

Once the concrete bonding agent has dried, the next step in the stucco application is the first coast of stucco, which is known as the scratch coat. Start by making up the stucco mix in a wheelbarrow. This will let you move it easily as you progress on the wall. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and stir thoroughly so all the lumps dissolve.

For the stucco application of a scratch coat, put the mix onto the bonding agent with the trowel. They layer should be approximately ¼ inch thick. It doesn’t need to be absolutely even; this is one of the advantages of stucco. Leave it for about an hour to partially dry. After this run the plasterer’s rake through the mix to a depth of about 1/8 inch. After this, you need to give the scratch coat time to dry. Allow about 48 hours, but mist it periodically with water for some dampness. If the weather is especially hot or dry, you should mist more often.

Final Coat

Once the scratch coat has dried it’s time to apply the final coat in the stucco application. Once again you’ll need to make up the stucco mix according to the instructions. Use a finish trowel to apply the stucco on top of the scratch coat. Once again the coat of stucco should be about ¼ inch thick. You can create texture for the stucco application by regularly changing the angle and pressure of the stucco application. Leave the stucco to cure for several days. If you intend to paint it, wait six weeks before painting.

Applying stucco over brick isn't too complicated, right? Now your home has a fresh face!